Abstract:
The article describes the pilot phase of a participatory reflection and action (PRA) study. The longitudinal investigation
explores teachers’ ability to provide psychosocial support within the context of HIV/AIDS following an asset-based
intervention. The study ensued from our desire to understand and contribute to knowledge about the changed roles
of teachers due to adversity in the community, specifically in relation to HIV/AIDS and education. The supportive
teachers, assets and resilience (STAR) intervention was facilitated from November 2003 to October 2005 and consisted
of the research team undertaking nine field visits and facilitating 20 intervention sessions (2–3 hours each), and 12
post-intervention research visits have been conducted to date. Ten female teachers were selected for participation
through random purposeful sampling at a primary school in an informal settlement outside Port Elizabeth, South
Africa. Data-generation included PRA activities, observation, informal interactive interviews, and focus group
discussions. The data were analysed by means of inductive thematic analysis. We found that the teachers did not
view vulnerability as being related to children or HIV/AIDS in isolation, but rather that their psychosocial support to
children and the school community was inclusive across a spectrum of vulnerabilities and services. We argue that
teachers who are inclined to provide such support will fulfil this role irrespective of understanding policy or receiving
training. We contend that teachers are well-positioned to manage school-based psychosocial support in order to
create relevant and caring spaces for vulnerable individuals in the school community.
